Fire Flowers
by Lavender341
Summary: [.oneshot.] Hope, dreams, and faith...Demyx liked to think he knew what those things were. [.axel. demyx.]


«♥» Fire Flowers  
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«♥» By: Lavender341  
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«♥» Read and Reviewed by ONiONLADi777 (thanks Nikki!)  
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«♥» Disclaimer: If I owned KH, Demyx would still be alive.  
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Hope, dreams, and faith…Demyx liked to think he knew what those things were. He liked to believe the Organization knew what those things were too; even if they couldn't entirely feel them. But Demyx, he _knew_ he could feel them. He just knew the others were lying; Nobodies _did_ have hearts.

Demyx wished there were stars in the World that Never Was. He wanted to wish upon a star and make his dreams come true. But there were no stars in that stormy sky; just the glare of Kingdom Hearts. Demyx hated staring at Kingdom Hearts. It reminded him of all the lives wasted on a lost cause. But even still, he held the hope that maybe, someday, Kingdom Hearts would give him a heart too. Then he could be just like everyone else and live for _real_.

Axel didn't believe in hope, dreams, or faith. He didn't even believe in Xemnas' half-baked plan anymore. His heart was long gone and it was never coming back. Yet, all the magical words Demyx spoke seemed so real. He tried to tell himself it was all just a child's fantasy, but he couldn't help but listen whenever Demyx told his stories of dreams, hope, and faith.

Maybe, just maybe, he could learn to believe, too.

Demyx knew better than to tell the other members of the Organization that he thought Nobodies had hearts. He had learned his lesson when Xemnas, Saïx, and Vexen all sat him down and gave him a long, scientific lecture on specifically why Nobodies could never have hearts. Though, Demyx wondered about this. Why was Xemnas even bothering with Kingdom Hearts if he didn't believe Nobodies had hearts?

Demyx liked to think that Xemnas had hope. But, deep inside, Demyx knew Xemnas was just outright evil and really just wanted to take over the worlds.

One night, while on a mission in the Olympus Coliseum together, Axel found Demyx staring up at the starry sky. Axel didn't understand what was so appealing about giant balls of gas and fire in the sky. Demyx told him that a teenager he once met told him that you could wish upon the stars and your dreams would come true.

Axel told him it was just all a bunch of lies; and that none of that crap about hope, dreams, faith, and wishes was even true. He angrily walked away; not even pausing to see the tears that silently rolled down Demyx's face. But, secretly, Axel always looked up at the sky whenever he saw a star; wondering if maybe all the stuff Demyx said was true.

Demyx wanted to help Axel believe. He played songs for him on his sitar; songs of love, happiness, and dreams come true. Axel always sat quietly; soaking up the sweet sounds of music. Axel always wished that Demyx would write a song about _him_ someday. But he never asked; nor did he ever tell Demyx. He didn't want Demyx to get his hopes up too far; only to have them come crashing down. He had seen the sitar player be hurt far too many times by other members; he wasn't about to hurt Demyx himself.

Some days, Demyx sat with Naminé and watched her draw. He loved the emotions she conveyed through her art. How he wished he could _truly_ feel those emotions (he had always suspected he could; but the _other_ members always told him it was all in his head). Demyx wanted to be an artist like Naminé. He wanted to be able to express his thoughts and feelings through wonderful pictures. He asked her to help him learn to be great like her; she turned a deep shade of red and said she'd be delighted to help. In return for her help, Demyx played her beautiful songs of friendship and love.

Axel liked to watch Demyx practice drawing. Demyx wasn't _too_ bad; he was getting better. Axel loved the way Demyx could just tell whole stories through his pictures. Axel would never tell him so, but he loved the way Demyx acted like a child sometimes.

Axel wanted to have faith in people like Demyx did. But he would never ask Demyx to help him. As far as Demyx knew, Axel was hopeless. Axel would have given anything to have talent and be happy like Demyx was.

But he knew it could never be that way. Roxas had destroyed the only chance Axel had to be happy. When XIII walked away from Axel that night, Axel felt everything break inside of him. Axel didn't believe he could be repaired.

Demyx often cried late at night. On those nights, he would crawl up next to Axel in number VIII's bed.

Demyx was afraid of dying; even though he knew he had to. He told Axel that's what he cried about all the time. He wanted to _live_ so badly; but he just knew the crackpot old fool they called "Superior" would sentence him to death someday; just like he had to everyone else. Already, so many members were gone…Demyx was sure he'd be next.

Axel feared the day Demyx would be sent out on a mission. He had grown to love the kid. He wasn't Roxas, nor would he ever _be_ Roxas, but he was like a substitute. An immature, weird-looking substitute at that. But that was okay.

Demyx liked flowers. Axel didn't know this until he discovered IX in Marluxia's garden one day. Number XI was gone, but for some strange reason, his flowers still thrived. Axel came to discover that Demyx watered them everyday with his sitar.

One day, Demyx gave Axel a fire flower. Demyx said it reminded him of Axel because it was lean and graceful, yet full of fire and life. When Axel tried to explain that he didn't _have_ a life; he saw Demyx's face so full of hope that he just couldn't say it. It would have been too painful to see IX be crushed yet again.

Axel went into the garden one day (he had begun to think of it in his mind as _Demyx's_ garden) to see what kind of flowers were kept in there. He saw all kinds of colors and plants he couldn't even name. While walking up one row, he came to an area with freshly-planted flowers.

He noticed there were VIII fire flowers planted next to IX water lilies.

Walking out of the garden, he had to wonder if it meant something. He decided it was probably just a huge coincidence and went about his day. But there was always a little voice in the back of his head telling him it was something _more_.

One night, Demyx came running into Axel's room and slipped under the covers with him. Axel woke up and was about to murder him before he realized he was crying. Demyx tried to speak and explain, but all the words got caught in his mouth; muffled by tears. Axel was able to make out the words "death", "mission", and "Hollow Bastion".

Pulling Demyx into his arms, Axel held him close to help stop his sobs. Demyx cuddled into Axel and cried into his bare chest. After some time, Axel noticed that Demyx had quieted and had fallen asleep.

Axel stayed up to watch him just a little longer before falling asleep himself; Demyx safe and warm in his arms.

Upon waking, Demyx tearfully explained that Xemnas was sending him to Hollow Bastion to eliminate Sora. He cried and screamed and said he didn't want to kill Sora or go to Hollow Bastion. He didn't want to be sent to his death; never to return.

Axel held Demyx close and told him he didn't want Demyx to leave either. But it was his duty to go.

The following morning, Demyx left. Axel tightly hugged him and told him they'd meet again someday. Demyx left in tears and told Axel to always dream.

That was the last time Axel ever saw the Melodious Nocturne.

When the Superior summoned them to a grave meeting; Axel knew Demyx had died. He ran out of the meeting, never looking back. He ran all the way to Demyx's garden and sat with the flowers. He saw that the water lilies had died today. He wondered if that meant something, too.

Axel couldn't help but notice that the fire flowers were slowly dying next to them.

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«♥» A/N: Yay, Axel and Demyx :-)I love those two. Is this a friendship, or is it something more? You decide. Anyway, last night, my emo-ish muse came back to me and begged me to write a story. So I did. I hope you liked it!

This was inspired by: A Million and One by Dead punk Girl. It's an incredible Axel x Demyx story. I suggest you go read it.


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